WEEK 6 | Feb 8-12
"The best coffee in town! It's awesome!"
- John Evans
"It's my absolute favorite place to go!"
- Greg Smith
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 8
PRAYING WITH PURPOSE
“But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray.” Luke 5:16 (ESV)
Great leaders know the value of preparation. One Navy SEAL instructor said, “The battle is won long before you step onto the field.” Jesus lived that truth. Before every significant moment, from choosing disciples to teaching crowds and facing opposition, He withdrew to pray. Prayer wasn’t His escape; it was His preparation.
Jesus didn’t pray because He was weak, but because He was wise. Even the One who could calm storms and raise the dead refused to live without communion with His Father. If Jesus needed solitude with God, then surely we do as well. Much of the weakness we feel comes not from a lack of strength but from a lack of stillness.
At Shirley Hills, God is calling us to become a praying church, not one that simply prays occasionally, but one that breathes prayer. Families, ministries, leaders, and students all need the same spiritual focus Jesus modeled.
REFLECTION
●What would it look like for you to intentionally “withdraw” this week, even briefly, to pray?
●How could a renewed commitment to prayer strengthen the unity and mission of Shirley Hills?
PRAYER SUGGESTIONS
●Ask God to deepen the prayer life of your entire Shirley Hills church family
●Pray for a renewed hunger for quiet, focused communion with God in your own daily rhythm.
PRAYING WITH PURPOSE
“But he would withdraw to desolate places and pray.” Luke 5:16 (ESV)
Great leaders know the value of preparation. One Navy SEAL instructor said, “The battle is won long before you step onto the field.” Jesus lived that truth. Before every significant moment, from choosing disciples to teaching crowds and facing opposition, He withdrew to pray. Prayer wasn’t His escape; it was His preparation.
Jesus didn’t pray because He was weak, but because He was wise. Even the One who could calm storms and raise the dead refused to live without communion with His Father. If Jesus needed solitude with God, then surely we do as well. Much of the weakness we feel comes not from a lack of strength but from a lack of stillness.
At Shirley Hills, God is calling us to become a praying church, not one that simply prays occasionally, but one that breathes prayer. Families, ministries, leaders, and students all need the same spiritual focus Jesus modeled.
REFLECTION
●What would it look like for you to intentionally “withdraw” this week, even briefly, to pray?
●How could a renewed commitment to prayer strengthen the unity and mission of Shirley Hills?
PRAYER SUGGESTIONS
●Ask God to deepen the prayer life of your entire Shirley Hills church family
●Pray for a renewed hunger for quiet, focused communion with God in your own daily rhythm.
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 9
PRAYING FOR OTHERS
“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people.” 1 Timothy 2:1 (ESV)
George Müller, who cared for thousands of orphans by prayer alone, once said, “Prayer is not overcoming God’s reluctance; it is laying hold of His willingness.” Intercession, praying for others, is one of the deepest expressions of Christlike love. Jesus prayed for His disciples, for future believers, and even for those who would crucify Him.
When Paul tells Timothy to offer “supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings,” he is describing a lifestyle of advocacy. To intercede means to stand in the gap, to lift someone before God who may not be praying for themselves. It is one of the most powerful ministries in the church, and anyone can participate, regardless of age, background, or level of spiritual maturity.
Shirley Hills is full of people who need your prayers: leaders carrying burdens, families facing trials, students navigating temptation, and friends struggling with discouragement. When we lift each other up in prayer, we fulfill Jesus’ example and strengthen our church from the inside out.
REFLECTION
●Who at Shirley Hills has God placed on your heart to pray for more intentionally?
●How has interceding for someone else changed your heart toward them?
PRAYER SUGGESTIONS
●Pray for three people in the SHBC family who need encouragement, strength, or salvation.
●Thank God for the privilege of standing in the gap for your church brothers and sisters.
PRAYING FOR OTHERS
“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people.” 1 Timothy 2:1 (ESV)
George Müller, who cared for thousands of orphans by prayer alone, once said, “Prayer is not overcoming God’s reluctance; it is laying hold of His willingness.” Intercession, praying for others, is one of the deepest expressions of Christlike love. Jesus prayed for His disciples, for future believers, and even for those who would crucify Him.
When Paul tells Timothy to offer “supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings,” he is describing a lifestyle of advocacy. To intercede means to stand in the gap, to lift someone before God who may not be praying for themselves. It is one of the most powerful ministries in the church, and anyone can participate, regardless of age, background, or level of spiritual maturity.
Shirley Hills is full of people who need your prayers: leaders carrying burdens, families facing trials, students navigating temptation, and friends struggling with discouragement. When we lift each other up in prayer, we fulfill Jesus’ example and strengthen our church from the inside out.
REFLECTION
●Who at Shirley Hills has God placed on your heart to pray for more intentionally?
●How has interceding for someone else changed your heart toward them?
PRAYER SUGGESTIONS
●Pray for three people in the SHBC family who need encouragement, strength, or salvation.
●Thank God for the privilege of standing in the gap for your church brothers and sisters.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 10
PRAYING THROUGH PAIN
“My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” Matthew 26:39 (ESV)
In Gethsemane, Jesus prayed the most honest prayer ever spoken. He did not hide His anguish. He did not suppress His sorrow. He brought His burden to the Father and surrendered fully. This moment shows us that faithful prayer doesn’t avoid pain; it brings pain into God’s presence.
Surrender is not weakness. It is trust. Jesus teaches us that spiritual maturity is found not in having all the answers but in resting in the Father’s will, even when we don’t understand it.
Many in our church family carry deep burdens: illness, loss, broken relationships, financial strain, or fear about the future. Praying like Jesus means we bring those burdens honestly to God, but we also release them, trusting that His wisdom is greater than our understanding. Pain becomes purposeful when placed in the Father’s hands.
REFLECTION
●What area of pain do you need to surrender to God instead of carrying alone?
●How could your example of trusting God in hardship encourage someone at Shirley Hills?
PRAYER SUGGESTIONS
●Pray honestly about what hurts, then surrender it to God with open hands.
●Ask God to strengthen those in the Shirley Hills family who are walking through painful seasons.
PRAYING THROUGH PAIN
“My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” Matthew 26:39 (ESV)
In Gethsemane, Jesus prayed the most honest prayer ever spoken. He did not hide His anguish. He did not suppress His sorrow. He brought His burden to the Father and surrendered fully. This moment shows us that faithful prayer doesn’t avoid pain; it brings pain into God’s presence.
Surrender is not weakness. It is trust. Jesus teaches us that spiritual maturity is found not in having all the answers but in resting in the Father’s will, even when we don’t understand it.
Many in our church family carry deep burdens: illness, loss, broken relationships, financial strain, or fear about the future. Praying like Jesus means we bring those burdens honestly to God, but we also release them, trusting that His wisdom is greater than our understanding. Pain becomes purposeful when placed in the Father’s hands.
REFLECTION
●What area of pain do you need to surrender to God instead of carrying alone?
●How could your example of trusting God in hardship encourage someone at Shirley Hills?
PRAYER SUGGESTIONS
●Pray honestly about what hurts, then surrender it to God with open hands.
●Ask God to strengthen those in the Shirley Hills family who are walking through painful seasons.
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 11
CHRISTLIKE PRAYING
“Father, glorify your name.” John 12:28 (ESV)
Jesus’ life mission was simple: glorify the Father. Whether through miracles or through suffering, His desire never changed. To pray for God’s glory is to pray the most Christlike prayer possible.
Praying for God’s glory shifts our focus from “Make my life comfortable” to “Make my life count.” We stop asking “Why is this happening to me?” and start asking “How can God use this?”
This shift can transform a church. When a congregation begins praying for God’s glory above personal preference, unity deepens, generosity increases, and mission becomes central. Shirley Hills has the opportunity to shine brightly in Warner Robins when its people pray, live, and serve with God’s glory as the highest goal.
REFLECTION
●What would change in your life if God’s glory became your primary prayer?
●How can The Hills glorify God more clearly in the community around it?
PRAYER SUGGESTIONS
●Pray that God would glorify Himself through your choices, relationships, and responses.
●Ask God to make SHBC a church where His glory is always more important than our preferences.
CHRISTLIKE PRAYING
“Father, glorify your name.” John 12:28 (ESV)
Jesus’ life mission was simple: glorify the Father. Whether through miracles or through suffering, His desire never changed. To pray for God’s glory is to pray the most Christlike prayer possible.
Praying for God’s glory shifts our focus from “Make my life comfortable” to “Make my life count.” We stop asking “Why is this happening to me?” and start asking “How can God use this?”
This shift can transform a church. When a congregation begins praying for God’s glory above personal preference, unity deepens, generosity increases, and mission becomes central. Shirley Hills has the opportunity to shine brightly in Warner Robins when its people pray, live, and serve with God’s glory as the highest goal.
REFLECTION
●What would change in your life if God’s glory became your primary prayer?
●How can The Hills glorify God more clearly in the community around it?
PRAYER SUGGESTIONS
●Pray that God would glorify Himself through your choices, relationships, and responses.
●Ask God to make SHBC a church where His glory is always more important than our preferences.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12
TEACH US TO PRAY
“Lord, teach us to pray.” Luke 11:1 (ESV)
The disciples watched Jesus pray and saw something different; something powerful, peaceful, intimate. They didn’t ask, “Teach us to preach” or “Teach us to lead,” but “Teach us to pray.”
As this 40-day journey comes to a close, that same request becomes our pathway forward. Praying like Jesus means praying with surrender, purpose, dependence, love, and confidence.
Imagine what God will do if The Hills becomes known as a praying people: families praying together, ministries bathed in prayer, worship fueled by prayer, and a community impacted because a church decided to seek God first.
REFLECTION
●Which lesson from these 40 days do you need to carry into the months ahead?
●How can your personal prayer life help strengthen the spiritual culture of Shirley Hills?
PRAYER SUGGESTIONS
●Ask God to help you continue praying like Jesus long after this devotional ends.
●Pray that Shirley Hills Baptist Church becomes a beacon of prayer, love, and gospel hope in Warner Robins.
TEACH US TO PRAY
“Lord, teach us to pray.” Luke 11:1 (ESV)
The disciples watched Jesus pray and saw something different; something powerful, peaceful, intimate. They didn’t ask, “Teach us to preach” or “Teach us to lead,” but “Teach us to pray.”
As this 40-day journey comes to a close, that same request becomes our pathway forward. Praying like Jesus means praying with surrender, purpose, dependence, love, and confidence.
Imagine what God will do if The Hills becomes known as a praying people: families praying together, ministries bathed in prayer, worship fueled by prayer, and a community impacted because a church decided to seek God first.
REFLECTION
●Which lesson from these 40 days do you need to carry into the months ahead?
●How can your personal prayer life help strengthen the spiritual culture of Shirley Hills?
PRAYER SUGGESTIONS
●Ask God to help you continue praying like Jesus long after this devotional ends.
●Pray that Shirley Hills Baptist Church becomes a beacon of prayer, love, and gospel hope in Warner Robins.